Photograph
by CodeLyoko
Summary: The meaning of a photograph was to freeze a particular moment in time to be enjoyed. Regardless of that definition, Chase still found himself wondering about them as Gou began to decorate the Drive Pit with them.
1. What's the Meaning?

While catching up with Drive, which I watched for Chase, the Shift Cars, and eventually, Gou, I found myself wondering 'now who do I ship?'. Honestly it has to be with Chase so I looked at everyone and had to go with Gou. Their dynamic is so hilarious, and there is this one fic that made me fall in love with it.

* * *

 _SNAP!_

Chase barely blinked as yet another sound of a photo being taken echoed through the room. Tilting his eyes, the Roidmude caught sight of Gou snapping yet another picture of the Shift Cars and Signal Bikes as they flew across the Drive Pit, many of them rather rambunctious and frustrated from being kept indoors so long. Narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, he remembered that a few of them had returned from their scouting missions around the city with damage to their bodies. It seemed as if the remaining Roidmudes were beginning to attack them on sight to prevent their locations from being revealed. Split and Monster had been damaged the most, among a few others, and were being repaired by Rinna, who was hard at work at her station, ignoring the activities around her.

 _SNAP SNAP!_

"Gou!" Kiriko yelped as she turned around, only to get a candid shot of her surprised face. The Kamen Rider smirked up at her, only to whip around and catch Shinnosuke in the act of eating a milk candy. Said cop nearly choked on it once he saw Gou with the camera. The camera… Chase returned his gaze to the opposite wall, missing the guarded expression Gou sent towards his way. The walls of the Pit were now plastered with photographs, all thanks to Gou. Many were landscapes, candid shots, yet more and more were showing up of the Kamen Rider team.

Thinking back, he recalled when Shinnosuke explained the meaning behind them when he questioned him.

" _A photograph is similar to a memory, yet instead of you being the only one to see it, it's a physical manifestation of it to be shared with the world, or at least, whoever can see it. Each of them has a special meaning, whether it is a happy reminder of times with friends or family-" Here he had taken out a picture of his father and him with a sad smile, showing it to Chase, who only looked at it with a confused look. The human concept of family and friends were still difficult to process. "- or a beautiful landscape that connects with them. It's… a bit difficult to properly explain. Just as each memory you make means something, a photo is just as meaningful. Gou would probably have been better at explaining it." Chase's lips thinned, but he did not say anything. He had attempted to approach Gou about it, yet the other snapped at him, saying that a Roidmude like him would never understand. He couldn't understand, it was why he had asked in the first place._

Due to the explanation, Chase deducted that a photograph was to be enjoyed, which made sense as Kiriko's brother always had a smile – whenever he wasn't looking at Chase – when taking the pictures. Even as Shinnosuke and Kiriko looked through the pictures he took, they smiled, regardless of their previous actions that indicated they were displeased with them. He tilted his head, trying to make sense of all of it. While these photos made them happy now, the one that should have made Shinnosuke happy, with his father, instead made him look sad… Could photos bring about emotions other than what they were intended for? Were they that special?

Human emotions were far too difficult to understand, something that made him feel close to frustrated. No matter how many times he asked questions related to them, it seemed that there was a new angle to be considered.

The sound of a Shift Bike revving up made him refocus his thoughts, right as Danger dive bombed Gou's head as it let its frustrations out on being cooped in. Krim sighed, explaining that they were not pleased. Danger rejoined the other Shift Cars and Bikes as they once more circled the entire room, having dodged Gou's attempts to swat it out of the air. Something nudged his foot, and a glance down determined it to be Signal Chaser, followed by Prototype, which revved its engine before they both drove off, avoiding Hunter's insistent pounding on the closed door to outside.

Many of the Shift cars who were not partaking in the massive circling overhead were using their abilities to throw what Shinnosuke called 'tantrums'. Commercial using its abilities to convey its emotions as it followed Kiriko around, while Solar sat in a corner and occasionally let out a blinding flash of light towards whomever walked by it. The effects were getting dimmer and dimmer due to needing to recharge soon.

Standing up, his actions going unnoticed by the other humans in the room, he walked over to the nearest wall, examining its contents of photographs. On this portion, there were plenty of the Drive Pit crew, some with just Kiriko and Shinnosuke, others with Gou in them. Krim was in a few as well, the Bikes and Cars spanning several photographs. However, his eyes drifted to one in particular. It was of Gou with his arms around the shoulders of both his sister and Shinnosuke. Someone else must have taken the picture, as it was a close-up of the three.

In it, all of them were smiling, Kiriko including. He tilted his head, his fingers twitching as if to reach up and pluck the photograph off the wall to examine it further, but he resisted the temptation. Happiness radiated from the still shot, shining from both their smiles and their eyes. It was an emotion he wasn't too familiar with due to the complexity of them, yet… This brought him back to friendship, something he had questioned Shinnosuke on quite frequently whenever it was brought up. It meant being close, or wanting to be close, to another. He acknowledged the fact that yes, he did wish to become 'friends' with the three, regardless of Gou's remarks of wanting to kill him.

The sound of the camera going off nearby made Chase look to his right. He frowned, seeing Gou merely adjusting his camera, looking at a picture he just took. When had he gotten that close? Normally when he was in the Pit, he stayed as far away as he could. The other Rider's eyes glanced up to meet his gaze. Chase held it calmly, as if it would give him an idea of what he was doing. Gou looked away too hastily for his own good, as if something was wrong. He didn't quite recognize the emotion in those eyes, something that compelled him to find out. It definitely hadn't been with hatred and distrust like usual. Chase parted his lips to ask when Kiriko threw her arm over her brother's shoulder.

"What are you looking at Gou? Let me see!" Gou instantly darted out of her grip, holding his camera up high where she couldn't get it, dodging any questions she, and now even Shinnosuke, threw at him. Regardless of the two now chasing after him, the smile once more bloomed on Gou's face. A smile… Chase turned back to the picture.

"Hunter, stop Gou!" The sounds of sirens filled the air, along with Gou's protests as he tripped before the police Shift Car returned to the door.


	2. Warring Emotions

I nearly deleted this entire chapter due to not feeling like I captured the conflicting emotions of Gou, but my sister convinced me not to since I would have been unwilling to rewrite it. So I apologize in advance about the writing and flow of this chapter. I only hope that I have done it justice.

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Photographing things, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they were, was something Gou enjoyed. It was both relaxing and thrilling at the same time, depending on how far he'd go for the perfect shot. But then again, candids were always priceless. With a cheshire cat expression on his face, he leaned against the Tridoron, camera poised and ready for snapping a shot. The Shift Cars and Signal Bikes zoomed around overhead, one almost crashing into his head in its haste to expend built-up energy. Dodging yet another one, Spike, he pressed down on the button of his camera, taking a perfect shot of it while it dove.

 _SNAP!_

Another one to go on the wall! One glance at said wall allowed him the chance to admire his handiwork. It only took a couple minutes to convince Krim – okay more like hours – to allow it, plus it did add some color to the normally plain walls. Anytime he looked at his handiwork, pride always rose within his chest. To know that, even though many of these pictures wouldn't be shown to the world, they still would be enjoyed by those in the Drive Pit always made him smiled. While the boy began to scan through his collection of new photographs, he paused, seeing a flash of purple in the corner of his eye. Gou instantly frowned, glancing over at the Roidmude. He swore internally when he realized he was looking over at him, settling for narrowing his eyes at him and turning away.

Why was it that the other was so insistent on bugging him, even if it was just staring at him? He had made it quite clear that he never wanted anything to do with him, yet it never swayed the other rider. It both frustrated and infuriated him at the same time. With all his anger, insults, and threats, the other still pressed forward with helping him, backing him up, even making sure he didn't get hurt. Why was wanting to be his 'buddy' so goddamn important to that robot? He never seemed to get the message. Why did he act like he cared when all Gou had done was treated him like crap? Fingers clenched his camera, annoyance burning in his breast until he noticed her sister leaning over to scold Shinnosuke who had been laying down. The emotions vanished without a trace, forgotten; this would be a great picture! His normal catlike smirk returned and he tip-toed up to his sister, angling the camera just so it could capture part of her head and shoulder, and the cop below her.

 _SNAP! SNAP!_

He leaped away when his sister turned around, only to snap a picture of her. He watched the surprise and realization mix on her face, dodging her half-hearted swat at him with a chuckle. Knowing Shinnosuke was about to laugh at his sister's plight, he simply grinned and turned, getting a nice close-up of him as he dropped a milk candy into his mouth. Amusement glittered in his eyes as Shinnosuke nearly choked at the sight of him with his camera. Two great shots in only a few seconds, and that wasn't even his best record.

Candid shots were something Gou enjoyed to catch in his lenses, as it was hit and miss. Yet the normality in them, the act of catching someone doing something not planned or staged… It delighted him. One had to be there at the right time, something that he had the knack for. He felt his camera being taken from him as the two crowded around it to look through the pictures. Leaning closer, he didn't protest, simply watching them. It wasn't as if he had anything to hide in there.

However, he couldn't keep his attention on them for too long, feeing the need to do something else. Sure the Cars and Bikes could provide entertainment but after being nearly hit by them several times already, he didn't want to acknowledge them. Krim was silent, most likely fixated on making sure the sentient machines didn't destroy the Drive Pit, Rinna was busy repairing some of them, so that left…

The boy practically groaned in irritation. The Roidmude. Of course he was still sitting in the same stiff position he was known for, blank face, expressionless eyes. A robot. Boring, irritating, and inhuman. Gou's eyes shifted slightly without turning his head, not wanting to bring attention to the fact he was checking up on Chase.

There he was again, staring at the wall of photos with an almost thoughtful expression. Wait, thoughtful? Shutting everything out around him, he focused his gaze on the Roidmude's face, eyes widening ever so slightly. Normally there was a blank expression on his face, yet now… It was a subtle shift, one that no one should have noticed unless they had been observing the other for a while… Gou had been, having hated the other for so long, always watching in case he did something threatening. The small flicker of emotion in his eyes, a concentrated expression that looked far away and contemplating. It was something he wore when no one was looking, when he was trying to figure out the meaning to something he was told and couldn't ask about.

Gou balked at the realization why he could see it so clearly. He had been studying the other way too much lately. He turned away, biting his lip. There was no reason why he even should be interested in the meaning behind his photos.

" _Go ask someone who cares." Gou growled at him, lowering his camera. He had been hunched over on a bridge trying to get a skyline picture in the distance when the other had appeared next to him. He resisted the temptation to grit his teeth, lately the other had been asking him more questions than the others. A glance over told him the Roidmude was still standing there, eyes fastened on him. The intensity of his unblinking stare was making him uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot before he forced himself to be still._

" _You are the most logical person to question about this. Although I can ask the others, I believe you would have the best answer." Chase looked down at his camera for emphasis. Gou rolled his eyes at his words, even though he was right. It was one thing to have a picture taken of you and find meaning in it, but as a photographer, capturing the scenes meant finding a special reason, a special moment they want to immortalize forever…_

" _A Roidmude like you couldn't possibly understand the meaning behind them." His words were said out of spite, hiding the fact that he was curious as to why the other wanted to know about the meaning. It wasn't like he was human enough to understand them. Turning around and only getting a flash of something in those dark eyes, he stalked away from Chase with his hands clenched into fists. The pounding in his chest was strange. It wasn't anger yet… It was the fact he came to Gou first before anyone else, and the fact he said he wanted_ him _to explain._

 _Why did it feel nice? He hated the other man… Quashing the strange feeling that was rising inside of him, he in turn ignored the small voice that demanded he just man up and explain to him._

It was lucky that he could pull off looking focused when he really wasn't, as he saw his sister point to the picture of Shinnosuke and say they should post that one up. He chuckled, looking over at Shinnosuke with a knowing look. There was no way he'd pass up that chance, snatching the camera away before the other could even think of pressing the delete button.

"Sorry Shin-nii-san, I happen to like that one!" A sound of a Bike revving it engine echoed above him. Frowning, his eyes darted upwards where Danger circled before it dove at him, playing its sound effect. He cursed, ducking and trying to swat it out of the air, nearly tripping on Commercial as it butted Kiriko's heels. Again he let out a swear, moving away from the massing crowd of Shift Cars and Signal Bikes overhead. Before it was funny to see them so riled up, but now that he almost got caught between them he changed his mind. Especially when it came to Danger. Although he loved using that Bike, when it turned on him like that, he felt like HE was a Roidmude. Gou shuddered at the thought. The thought of being chewed up by an angry bullet was not a pretty thing.

"They are not pleased at being cooped up in here." Krim's faceplate expressed his own displeasure at the chaos reigning around him, even more so as Winter began spraying him with frost mist. Considering he couldn't move, it made resisting impossible. Leaving Kiriko to interpret what Commercial was trying to say and Shinnosuke attempting to remove Winter away from Krim, Gou's gaze traveled back to where Chase was sitting, only to find him missing. Eyes widening even more, he quickly looked around before he saw the other at the wall of photos, staring at one particular one. Seeing the twitch of those fingers, he narrowed his eyes, marching over there to tell him not to touch them when… The twitching fingers stilled by themselves.

Feet slowing, he eventually stopped a good distance away, staring at the other suspiciously. Ever since he put those photos up weeks ago, he could tell that Chase had become interested in them, at first simple glances, yet now, he always studied them, as if to unlock the secret behind their meaning – oh… right… That was why he asked him. It was then that he saw it.

There it was, that same thoughtful look. Gou's chest tightened and before he could stop himself, the urge to capture that expression, not just for a photographer's sake, but so he look at it over and over again…. His camera went off, the scene immortalized in time. Yet as soon as he did, he knew he would never show it to anyone around him. Quickly realizing that the other would have heard it, he half-turned away, quickly pressing his gallery button and making it look as if he was simply looking through the pictures he had captured, avoiding the one he took of Chase like it was the plague.

 _Shit, shit shit._

Why was it that his heart was pounding like that, as if he was hoping the other wouldn't have noticed him taking a picture of him? Was it because he had put up a front of hating the other despite his redemption? He had saved his sister for crying out loud yet… And the license, he had been so happy to receive it, Krim even mentioned that he was feeling more like a human because of it. He bit his lip hard. Why were his feelings more conflicted now?

Hesitantly, he glanced up, only for his gaze to meet Chase's and he froze. The other didn't say anything, only tilted his head slightly. That expression he had seen before was gone; he swore Chase wasn't aware he made it in the first place. Was it an indicator that he was developing human feelings, that he was becoming more human? He treated Roidmudes like they were scum, and they were, they tried to destroy peoples' lives and wanted to overthrow them. Yet Chase… The memories of how he had treated him rose to the surface of his mind in a wave of negativity, reliving every time he tried to kill him, all the insults and snarky remarks, all of the times he refused to accept the fact he was on their side.

Doubt formed in the pits of his stomach. Again he thought of the license. If Chase wanted to become like the humans, then he was treating a possible human being like dirt underneath his shoe. Unable to hold back the wave of mixed up emotions that berated him left and right, he wrenched his eyes away, a thin frown on his lips as he tried to hold his expression together, praying to whatever gods there were that the other didn't notice the conflicting emotions that no doubt flower through his eyes.

Thus he nearly jumped out of his skin when his sister came up behind him and slung her arm around his shoulders. He jerked back, staring at her like a deer caught in the highbeams of a car. Shit. Please don't say that she noticed.

"What are you looking at Gou? Let me see!" She had this look in her eyes and Gou cursed mentally again. Okay, she didn't notice his conflicted look but… Oh crap, she knew he had taken a picture of something! He slipped from her grip and raised his camera above his head, not about to let any of them see that picture. He should delete it, yet he just couldn't! The situation, along with Gou's repeated word of _'NOPE!'_ echoing through the room, drew Shinnosuke's attention and the man gravitated towards them.

"He's hiding something." The other Rider looked over at Kiriko with a raised eyebrow before both of them went to jump at him. If Gou was hiding a picture, then they _definitely_ wanted to see it! The boy ran around the Tridoron, a huge smile blossoming on his lips, forgetting about the Roidmude in the room. There was no way they could catch him!

"Hunter, stop Gou!"

His eyes widened as he heard the sirens, looking in front of him just as silver barriers appeared. Oh crap, he forgot about the stupid little police car.


	3. Underneath the Wisteria

So, there is a possibility for having a fourth chapter, a 'special' if you will, about Gou's views during all this. IF you request it, I'll be more inclined to write it XD It's all up to you guys. I also apologize in the slow rate it takes me to update. My job is very exhausting so I tend to take naps after coming home and thus don't have too much time to write.

* * *

In the words of Shinnosuke 'one could nearly cut the tension in the air with a knife.' Although the meaning was lost on exactly how one could cut something that wasn't physically there, it did seem appropriate at this moment.

The Roidmude stood there patiently as wisteria petals drifted around them. He had been following the boy for over an hour now, watching as he took pictures of the people around him. Surprisingly the other had ignored his presence instead of telling him straight away to go away. Right now Gou stared at him, his eyes clouded with the same different emotions he had seen that day in the Drive Pit. It wasn't hatred or anything he had been used to seeing. It was a startling change that it left Chase at a loss.

He had only asked a simple question when Gou had finally lowered his camera to confront him about why he had been following him. The other rider had been startled when the words that came out of Chase's mouth was 'I would like a picture.' Which then led to this stalemate of some sort, Chase waiting for the rejection from the other, while Gou simple stood there looking somewhat conflicted.

"Why?" Chase's eyebrows furrowed at the word, tilting his head to indicate confusion. The word had not been what he had expected. Although he would have expressed disappointment, he had been sure the other would have said no instantly and walked off without looking back. Gou snorted, crossing his arms and glaring at a tree in the distance.

"Why do _you_ of all people want a picture?" Did one have to have a reason for a picture? Thinking back, Chase thought of how he felt when looking at all those photos on the wall. Happiness radiated from them. Emotions he couldn't quite put a finger on also flowed from their depths, including one called 'silliness' that had stemmed from Gou catching Shinnosuke slacking on the job at times. A part of him wanted to be included on the wall, even if it was just one picture. To feel as if he belonged after so long of not knowing where he should stay. He was not human, yet he protected them despite being a Roidmude, the very thing Gou despised the most.

More than anything... Chase wanted to feel the emotions that came from being in a picture. It was a simple thing, yet he felt he could become closer to being human due to it. How would he get the point across without him saying he wanted to feel more human by it? The other was getting annoyed with his hesitance to answer, that much was clear by the slight narrowing of his eyes. Gou may never had known, but as much as the other had observed him, he too had studied him in turn. Before he could settle on an answer, Gou made an annoying tsk'ing sound and turned away and began to walk away.

He disappeared into the crowd of people.

That night Chase didn't return to the Drive Pit, instead, he sat on a bench and watched the wisteria petals drift in the wind. Chase regretted not answering sooner, yet he also felt like to give such a rushed answer would have probably been an even worse option. Mind wandering back to the photos, he had not realized his eyes had closed until Signal Chaser began nudging his foot quite roughly, beeping at him. Eyes snapping open, Chase jolted awake, vision assaulted by sunlight where it had once been night. Had his system shut down briefly during the night?

Shaking his head, Chase stood up and walked back to his bike, Signal Chaser leading the way as it chattered on about being needed back at the Drive Pit.

Leaning against Ride Chaser, the Roidmude observed the scene in front of him with interest. As soon as he arrived, Gou had been setting up his camera in front of the Tridoron. Shinnosuke had greeted him with a smile and a wave while Kiriko was leaning over, talking lowly with Gou who was sputtering at whatever she had been saying. Was he planning to take another picture?

He got his answer as Gou motioned for everyone to get in front of the camera, Shinnosuke situating himself right next to Kiriko in the middle. Ah, a group shot of the three of them. Although he couldn't help himself, he felt a pang of an emotion he recognized as jealousy in his chest. It was obvious that he wanted to join in, yet unless he had been invited, Chase didn't want to intrude on their memory-making.

"Chase!" Hearing his name, the rider directed his attention to Kiriko. She was smiling and waving him over. Hesitantly, Chase pushed himself off of Ride Chaser and walked over, sending a questioning gaze towards her. Briefly not answering his silent question, the female pulled him to the other side, with a gap between him and her.

"This was Gou's idea. This time, you'll be in the picture too." There was a knowing gleam in her eyes, and that rare smile brightened up her entire face. He was momentarily distracted by how she positively glowed before what she said registered in his mind. Gou? Furrowing his eyebrows slightly, the Roidmude's eyes drifted over to where Gou was messing with his camera. By the way he refused to look up, it was obvious he had heard what his sister said. His cheeks were stained slightly red, causing him to worry that perhaps he was sick although there was no indication that he was feeling unwell. Pressing a button on his camera, the younger rider quickly made his way over to the other three, standing in between his sister and Chase. Without moving his head, Chase observed the expressions on the others.

While Kiriko and Shinnosuke held up peace signs together, Gou simply smirked and pointed at the camera. Chase was at a loss on what to do. Was he supposed to do something for the picture? He shifted from one foot to the other, wanting to ask when he heard a distinct noise. It was coming from the camera. A timer? So he had a limited amount of time to decide what to do…

" _People normally smile for the camera."_

Shinnosuke's words echoed through his head. Smile…It meant that they were pleased and happy? If that was correct, then it would be the right expression for himself. The tips of his lips twisted upwards, a small smile, but one that was far noticeable than anyone had seen before, enough to be caught on camera. The flash went off, momentarily blinding Chase and he quickly blinked afterwards, the smile falling from his lips. Instantly Gou made his way over to where the camera was, pressing one button to see the result. His jaw dropped.

Kiriko frowned at her brother's expression.

"Gou? Do we need to retake the picture? What's the matter?" she asked as she quickly went to his side. Her eyes widened as she searched the picture for any problems. Immediately Kiriko's eyes snapped over to where Chase stood, prompting Shinnosuke to investigate why they were looking at the picture and then back to Chase.

"What's wrong with th –" Shinnosuke's words got stuck in his throat as Gou zoomed in to what they were all shocked to see. Chase was…. smiling. Gou's mouth opened and closed, trying to form words that kept dying in his throat. He cleared his throat, not daring to look up at the Roidmude.

"Y-You smiled…" Finally, after a few moments, Gou met Chase's gaze. Instantly the way they were looking at him made Chase uncomfortable, thinking he had done something wrong. Why were human customs, even the simplest ones, so difficult to understand? Shinnosuke HAD said that people smiled for the camera, but had he done it wrong? Was there a certain way to smile?

"Shinnosuke had said you normally smile for this…" A frown appeared on his lips, the look of hesitance not going unnoticed by the other three. Before Chase could attempt to apologize if he messed the photograph up, Shinnosuke walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I did say that. You look good when you smile, Chase. You should do it more often." Patting his shoulder before releasing him, the cop blinked when Gou had walked away from his camera to rummage in his bag. He knew of the feelings the other had towards all Roidmudes, yet it seemed the other was more or less softening up, or at least, that was what Shinnosuke was hoping.

Turning back to Kiriko, they returned to the camera, the female absolutely adoring it. Should he walk up and look at it too? Was it also customary to see the final product after it was taken, and not wait for it to be posted up on the wall? While the questions berated Chase left and right, he found himself suddenly being dragged off to the corner of the room.

Turning his eyes upon the hand that had gripped his wrist, his eyes traveled up the length of the arm to notice that it indeed was Gou. The other didn't look at him until he was sure Shinnosuke and Kiriko didn't follow them. An envelope was thrust into his chest, careful enough that it wouldn't bend, but forceful enough that he reached up to take it.

"Show anyone this picture, and I really will kill you." Gou murmured, glaring up at him. Curiously, Chase noted that his words had less bite than before. Again his cheeks were red, just like before. Although his eyes showed confusion as he glanced away towards the only other two inhabitants, Chase opened the envelope carefully. There was only one item inside, and once he flipped it around, he found himself looking at a picture…

Blinking in surprise, he briefly glanced up at Gou before his gaze traveled back downwards. It was a picture of him. It was when he had been looking at the wall of pictures, he realized. So that other day, he _had_ taken a picture of him; that was why he had been so close before? The thought of that warmed his core, even more than when he had been invited to be in the group picture previously. The tips of his lips twisted upwards to form a similar smile from before, an action that was noticed immediately by Gou. Just like his license and Signal Chaser, it would be something he treasured above all else.

"Thank you."


	4. Your Smile

Enjoy the last chapter of Photograph. All in all, I am pleased with how many people love this despite it being my first ever complete fic in the Drive series. It warms my heart to know I get the characters right without any OOC (to my knowledge) and thus make it enjoyable for others to read. I hope you all like this! My apologies for taking so long as well.

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Originally, Gou was going to let the entire 'Chase following him to ask a question' slide. He really had been. However, the fact that he followed him to the wisteria path where there was a crowd already forming that afternoon was wearing on his nerves. It really wasn't the following that had annoyed him now, it was the fact that the other was hesitating on asking him something. It was driving him crazy.

' _Just spit out the damn question already…'_

Chase was always hesitant about human ways and customs, yet he never hesitated to ask questions to understand them. So why was he stalling? Was it because of the other time in which he had refused to tell him the meaning? Ugh, alright, so he had been harsh before. Scratch that, he had been very harsh all those other times. He tried to kill him too… Gou stopped in his tracks, glaring at the ground. Without a second thought in his mind, he turned on the Roidmude, barely even caring how mixed emotions dwelled in his eyes at that moment, only briefly registering that the other had asked him a question. Whatever he had been preparing to say to Chase in response was lost with what came next.

"I would like a picture."

Those five words stunned him, blinking owlishly at Chase. Did the other just say what he thought he said? A picture… Sure, he had stared at all of the pictures in the Drive Pit, but to ask for one of his own. Other than Prototype, Ride Chaser, Signal Chaser, and his license, Chase didn't have any other material possessions that he held onto, and all of them Gou knew he held dear to him, especially the latter two. For him to ask for something - and he barely ever asked for anything - it meant something.

"Why?" Sure, he should have walked away. That was what he would have done before but now… Gou snorted and glared away at a tree in the distance. It was so easy to understand the meaning in the way the other's eyebrows furrowed and the slight tilt of his head. Pursing his lips, he sighed. Okay, maybe he had to explain more about his question.

"Why do _you_ of all people want a picture?" Confusion again settled over Chase's expression when Gou snuck another look back at him. Funny how easy the other could get like that. He still had so much to learn, didn't he? Not that he cared or anything. Seconds seemed to pass like hours; irritation begun to spread through him as Chase struggled to say something. With how his eyes lowered to the floor, eyebrows drawn taunt, it was just like when he had been reluctant at first when following him. Truthfully, he wasn't even mad, just annoyed. Everyone could tell how he was wanting to learn more about the humans he protected, yet he always was hesitant to ask about anything. If anything, he had to learn that if he wanted to know something, then spit it out and he'd get answers.

It still dragged on, and before an answer could be spoken, Gou got fed up with waiting and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

. . .

It had been hours since he had last seen the robotic being. Though it wasn't like he had been looking over his shoulder – discreetly of course – to see if he had still followed him, no, not at all. Actually it was a bit weird that he hadn't continued to follow him. Even when he had made sure to peek a glance back after he had walked away, Chase had simply stood there, conflict eerily evident in his eyes. Kicking a stray pebble, his fingers fiddled with his camera strap. The crowds had left quite a while ago, except for a few people here and there. It was already late, although he knew Kiriko would only now just be getting home from doing something.

His stomach growled, reminding how hungry he really was. A smirk flickering across his lips, he turned down a pathway, planning to head back to his bike when wisteria petals drifted past his face. His eyes followed them as they fell to the ground, color vibrant against the dark ground, even with the barely visible light from the post-lamps. There had been a reason why he had wanted to come here, the wisteria and the expressions of everyone as they walked underneath them.

As he happened to glance to one side, he stopped, a frown marring his lips. There seemed to be someone sitting on one of the benches strewn around the place. Were they waiting someone? Although the city was quiet safe even at night, Gou still didn't think anyone should be alone here. Briskly walking over to the figure, his lips had already parted to ask if the person was alright when he realized who it was.

Stiff posture, purple leather jacket, short dark hair…

Chase!?

The question dried up on the tip of his tongue, leaping him gaping in response. The other hadn't gone back to the Drive Pit? But… Honestly he had expected the other to, not sit here and… He wasn't moving. Cautiously, looking around lest there was a Roidmude lurking about that had somehow done something, he crept closer.

"Chase?" It was barely more than a whisper, his voice sounding louder than it should have. Waving his hand in front of Chase's face and receiving nothing, he stepped back, chewing on his lip. The Roidmude didn't respond. Had he shut down or something? Honestly he had never seen him do such a thing, only heard from Rinna that every now and then she came into the Pit and he was sitting there in the corner shut down. It really was as unnerving as she had mentioned. He didn't even breathe, although then again as robots, they never needed to in the first place.

A wisteria petal floated by him, catching on Chase's hair. Instinct made him reach out for it, yet he then paused, staring down at the robot. He looked… so human, so goddamn adorable like that, face softened from his normal stoic expression – his thoughts crashed into a wall like a train wreck. Omg he just called him adorable…

Gou turned around, hands clutching his head and pulling his hair. Nope, he thought nothing, absolutely nothing. Chase was not adorable nor cute nor…. Nor… Gou closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. Fuck. His thoughts were swirling into a cloudy mess again. Why was it the other, who he had hated _so much_ before without any problem make him feel this way? When had he stopped the hate and simply just been annoyed? Was it because Chase had tried so hard to fit in, no matter how awkward it was when he didn't get human customs? Was it after the countless times Chase went to help him, no matter how he yelled at him or tried to kill him? No matter what he did, the cyborg simply wanted to help him, had such dedication to that that he had broken some walls down inside of him unintentionally.

Gou turned back to Chase, noticing that the petal was still stuck in his hair. So peaceful… He couldn't help it. Just like the time in the Drive Pit, he raised his camera and snapped a picture. Even when lowering it, he couldn't look away, not with how the light filtering through the trees seemed to hit Chase just right. Throat becoming dry, Gou leaned over, plucking the petal off and quickly walked away, cupping it in his hand. Things were becoming too complicated for him to process right now.

. . .

Dinner was takeout again. It was ramen, but honestly he didn't care, it still was delicious and he did not – _did not_ – trust his sister's cooking, even if she swore it was better than when they were teenagers. Through his slurping of the noodles, Gou could practically feel his sister's eyes on him. Sighing mentally, and understanding that she would not stop until they talked, he put his dinner down and turned towards her, leaning his hand on his hand with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, nee-san?" He could tell she was trying to put together what she wanted to say, and he had an inkling on what it could be about. It was best to get it over with. Watching her fiddle with her fingers was only amusing for so long.

"I want to take a group picture again. It's been a while, so I figured why not." Kiriko's eyes widened at what he said, but immediately a frown tugged at her lips.

"Everyone should be in it, including Chase this time. You keep leaving him out of everything Gou, isn't he a part of the team as well?" Gou picked at the dinner table absentminded, before he nodded.

"I don't mind if he's in it." Gou could practically hear how his sister reacted at his nonchalant tone and he hesitated on looking up at her face. Just hearing her chopsticks clatter upon the table, and one rolling off onto the floor below, was enough to speak volumes about her reaction.

"What? He said he wanted a picture, that's all." Under her hard gaze he just couldn't keep his eyes on her. Quickly turning away, his ears burning, Gou began to noisily slurp the rest of his noodles in hopes that Kiriko wouldn't ask about his change of mind. It only took a few seconds until she began pelting him with questions left and right, and no, he totally didn't see the Cheshire cat smile that had spread across her lips.

Gou mentally groaned. He would never live this down; she knew something was up.

. . .

There was no way he was waiting for the damn Roidmude to show up. Nope. And there was also no way that he kept glancing at the alternate entrance to the Drive Pit. No, not at all… Lucky for Gou, no one, except his sister, had noticed his darting glances. It was distracting him, not knowing when the other would be showing up. Funny how Signal Chaser had come back to the Drive Pit by itself; that Signal Bike was always near Chase no matter where he was. Before anyone else showed up, he had instructed it to go and deliver a message to Chase. Stupid robot was probably still shut down in the wisteria park.

Briefly, just briefly, Gou paused in making sure his camera was set up properly and his hand slipped into his jacket pocket. A half-dried petal was safely tucked away. His ears burned at the fact that yes, he was carrying around a petal that had gotten caught in the other Rider's hair… What the heck was wrong with him? The sound of a motorcycle approaching down from the entrance jerked him out of his thoughts and he hurriedly turned to the camera again, trying to look busy even though everything was already set up. It didn't help that his sister was standing right next to him.

Gou suddenly sputtered at something Kiriko had said to him, staring at her wide-eyed. Only half of what he had caught had made sense, losing the context it should have been used with. Biting his lip, he let his sister re-explain what she meant and immediately glanced away. _'Well onto becoming friends with Chase'?_ Friends? Preposterous. He grumbled a denial and hunched back over his camera, pointedly ignoring his sister who patted his shoulder. Waving a free hand towards the Tridoron, Shinnosuke and Kiriko situated themselves before the camera. Now… How could he get Chase over here without it being such a big deal?

Ugh…

Before the Mach user could think up a solution that would not send Kiriko giggling and Shinnosuke sputtering about the change of mind, his sister called the other rider's name. Oh thank god, he was spared. The sound of Chase walking over was agonizing, simply due to the fact he would be wondering why he was called over, but more so in the way he knew Kiriko would explain why.

"This was Gou's idea. This time, you'll be in the picture too." Damnit Kiriko! Already his cheeks darkened, refusing to look up at all and risk any awkward questions directed towards him. Shinnosuke had already mumbled a 'Gou did?' to Kiriko from what he could hear. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he pressed the timer button and turned around, only glancing at where Chase was before he took his place next to him and his sister. It had been such a quick glimpse but the look in Chase's eyes still sent him in a loop. Confusion, of course, was there, but something warmer that had softened his facial features. Surprise was there too.

His pose was just as simple as his sister's and Shinnosuke's, just a simple haughty smirk and his hand pointing towards the camera screen. As for Chase? He shifted slightly beside him and he had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Dear god, what was Chase's problem now? He could just stand there looking positively stoic like he was all the time, yet he refused to look over at him to confirm that. The timer counted down and he held his pose, momentarily being blinded by the flash.

As soon as the photographer could see, he rushed over to his camera, trying to not show how eager he was to see the picture. It wasn't like he was beginning to like photographing the purple-clothed robot. Tsh, not at all. Pressing his gallery button, Gou's jaw dropped at what he saw. There was no stoic look, no hesitant expression in his eyes. No, there a smile, _a goddamned smile on his face_! This wasn't like the one that had been on Chase's driver's license, no… It was warmer, hesitant yet more natural. It was… Kiriko asked if anything was wrong, but he couldn't answer.

The photo shocked his sister too, that much was true. He tried to speak when Shinnosuke came over, but the words kept dying in his throat, unable to form complete sentences or even complete words for that matter. Hesitantly he zoomed in closer to the smile, the two around him flabbergast at it. Swallowing the lump of words in his throat, Gou cleared his throat.

"Y-You smiled…" Closing his eyes before he dared to glance up at the Roidmude, Gou noticed right away how out the loop he looked. Chase's eyes flickered to each one of them, looking like he had done something wrong but was able to determine what it was.

"Shinnosuke had said you normally smile for this…" Gou had to fight himself to not smirk at that. Of course Shinnosuke would have said that. With how hesitant and worried Chase seemed to appear, it made him want to say something, anything. It they didn't mention it was fine, the other would be less inclined to join in the photographs, and that wasn't what he wanted… was it?

"I did say that. You look good when you smile, Chase. You should do it more often." Shinnosuke saved the day as he patted the other rider's shoulder. Gou was able to see the hesitation leave Chase's eyes before he walked away to go rummage through his bag. If he didn't do this now, then he would end up second-guessing himself. Finding what he was looking for, he took a deep breath. When he turned around, the rider noticed that Shinnosuke and Kiriko were busy looking at the picture, while Chase stood there looking conflicted. A perfect opportunity.

Walking with a purpose, Gou grabbed Chase's wrist and practically pulled him over to a corner of the room, away from the other two and hopefully out of earshot. He didn't want this conversation, nor the content of the envelope, to be heard or seen by them. Satisfied that they were not followed, he realized he still was holding the other's arm. Dropping it hastily, his eyes hesitantly searched Chase's. Dropping his gaze quickly as Chase tilted his head, he shoved the envelope towards his chest, careful to not bend it.

"Show anyone this picture, and I really will kill you." Gou glared up at the Roidmude, his cheeks burning hot. Of course he didn't actually meant that, but from the confused understanding in the other's mind, he knew that it got his message across. He released the envelope as soon as Chase took hold of it. He still couldn't believe that he decided to give him that picture, it would only prove that yes, he did take a picture of him… But it was the only thing he could give him without revealing the other one that he took. That one, that one he just couldn't reveal, not yet… Not until he sorted out everything.

The wait while Chase opened the envelope was torturing, every second ticking by feeling like a day was going by. He did pride himself in not looking away as the other found the picture. He wanted to see just how he reacted to his gift. Surprise was a given, shock, a number of other emotions mashing together in a dazzling display, yet there was one that stood out the most. Happiness. There was overwhelming happiness in his face, blindingly bright. Chase asked for a picture, and Gou gave him it, a treasure that could be kept close to his heart.

"Thank you." Those words were filled with such sincerity, such simple joy that Gou had a hard time comprehending how much this action truly meant to the other. And then he smiled, he _smiled_! It was more noticeable than when he had done so during the picture, and it practically glowed on Chase's face, eyes showing that rare flicker of emotion he always caught glimpses of. Gou's heart stuttered, trying to will his blush away. That little voice in his head admitted that perhaps they needed to make him smile more often… It was… It was nice, even more so since he was the cause behind it.

"Y-Yeah…" Glancing away, Gou bit his bottom lip. Okay fine, he could finally, truly, admit it. Maybe Chase really wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps down the line, they could be buddies. Maybe he really wasn't like the other Roidmudes.


End file.
